CHANDLER, Justice, for the Court:
¶ 1. Shumaera Rance filed a complaint in the Circuit Court of Humphreys County against Dr. Sidney Carlton Gorton, Dr. Daisy Thomas, Humphreys County Memorial Hospital (HCMH), and John Does 1-5 for the wrongful death of her ten-month-old son, Dexter Jordan, Jr. Dr. Gorton filed a motion for summary judgment that alleged he was employed by Greenwood Leflore Hospital, an entity covered by the Mississippi Tort Claims Act (MTCA). See Miss.Code Ann. §§ 11-46-1 to 11-46-23 (Rev.2002). Dr. Gorton argued that Rance had failed to provide a timely notice of claim under the MTCA and that the MTCA's one-year statute of limitations had expired, barring Rance's claims. See Miss.Code Ann. § 11-46-11(3) (Rev.2002). The trial court denied the motion for summary judgment.
¶ 2. This Court granted Dr. Gorton's petition for an interlocutory appeal. We find no genuine issue of material fact in Dr. Gorton's assertions that Greenwood Leflore Hospital employed him at the time of the allegedly tortious conduct, and that the MTCA applied to Rance's claims against Dr. Gorton. Because Rance failed to provide timely notice of claim to Greenwood Leflore Hospital, and her complaint
¶ 3. Rance's complaint alleged that Jordan had received treatment and tragically died at HCMH. On August 7, 2007, Jordan was admitted to HCMH with vomiting and signs of pneumonia. Shortly thereafter, Jordan experienced difficulty breathing. Jordan's treating physician was Dr. Thomas, but the medical records reflect that Jordan was admitted to Dr. Gorton's service and the case was discussed with him. Early the following morning, Dr. Thomas determined that Jordan needed additional medical assistance and requested air transportation to the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Jordan died before leaving HCMH's grounds. His autopsy report stated that his cause of death was pneumonia.
¶ 4. On July 1, 2008, Rance served a notice of claim on the chief executive officer of HCMH as required by the MTCA. Miss.Code Ann. § 11-46-11(3) (Rev.2002). She filed suit on November 5, 2008. Rance claimed that, due to a lack of adequate and immediate medical care, Jordan had experienced unnecessary pain, suffering, and death. Rance contended that the defendants' conduct constituted negligence, gross negligence, and reckless disregard for Jordan's rights, justifying punitive damages. Dr. Gorton filed a separate answer and affirmative defenses, including statute of limitations, jurisdiction, and venue under the MTCA. Later, Dr. Gorton filed a motion to dismiss or, in the alternative, a motion for summary judgment with attached contracts showing his status as an employee of Greenwood Leflore Hospital, a government-owned hospital subject to the MTCA.
¶ 5. Rance filed a response to the motion. She asserted that, despite having conducted a thorough investigation prior to filing suit, she had failed to discover Dr. Gorton's employment with Greenwood Leflore Hospital until the motion for summary judgment had been filed. Rance admitted that Dr. Gorton had entered into a contract with Greenwood Leflore Hospital, but argued that it provided for only a courtesy membership on Greenwood Leflore Hospital's staff and privileges on the active medical staff of HCMH. In a supplemental response filed on June 3, 2009, Rance asserted that discovery was necessary to determine the dates of Dr. Gorton's employment by Greenwood Leflore Hospital. Dr. Gorton filed supplemental materials in reply to the response to the motion for summary judgment. After a hearing, the trial court entered an order that stated the motion was denied because a genuine issue of material fact was in dispute; the order did not provide further explanation.
¶ 6. The standard of review for the grant or denial of a motion for summary judgment is de novo. Stringer v. Trapp, 30 So.3d 339, 341 (Miss.2010). Summary judgment properly may be granted where "the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law." M.R.C.P. 56(c). "If no genuine issue of material fact exists and the moving party is entitled to summary judgment as a matter of law, summary judgment should be entered in that party's favor." Trapp, 30 So.3d at 341. The burden rests on the moving party. Id. The trial court views all evidence before it in the light most favorable
¶ 7. "Once the absence of genuine material issues has been shown, the burden of rebuttal falls upon the non-moving party. To survive summary judgment, the non-moving party must produce specific facts showing that there is a genuine material issue for trial." Wilbourn v. Stennett, Wilkinson & Ward, 687 So.2d 1205, 1213-14 (Miss.1996); see also M.R.C.P. 56(e). Therefore, "[t]o avoid summary judgment, the non-movant must set forth specific facts that demonstrate a genuine issue of a material fact that merits trial instead of mere unsubstantiated allegations." Green v. Allendale Planting Co., 954 So.2d 1032, 1038 (Miss.2007) (citing Richmond v. Benchmark Constr. Corp., 692 So.2d 60, 61 (Miss.1997)). "The party opposing the motion must be diligent." Richmond, 692 So.2d at 61-62 (citing Grisham v. John Q. Long V.F.W. Post, 519 So.2d 413, 415 (Miss.1988)). However, "[s]ummary judgment is mandated where the respondent has failed `to make a showing sufficient to establish the existence of an element essential to that party's case, and on which that party will bear the burden of proof at trial.'" Dearman v. Christian, 967 So.2d 636, 639 (Miss.2007) (citations omitted).
¶ 8. The nonmoving party "remains silent at her peril." Fruchter v. Lynch Oil Co., 522 So.2d 195, 198-99 (Miss.1988). "[A]n adverse party may not rest upon the mere allegations or denials of his pleadings, but his response, by affidavits or as otherwise provided in this rule, must set forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial. If he does not so respond, summary judgment, if appropriate, shall be entered against him." M.R.C.P. 56(e); see also Brown v. Credit Center, Inc., 444 So.2d 358, 362 (Miss. 1984).
¶ 9. The MTCA provides immunity to government entities, such as public hospitals, and to government employees under specified circumstances. See Miss.Code Ann. §§ 11-46-1 to 11-46-23 (Rev.2002). The MTCA provides the exclusive remedy for money damages against a governmental entity or its employee. Miss.Code Ann. § 11-46-7(1) (Rev.2002). However, a party may join an employee, in his or her representative capacity, in an action against a governmental entity "if the act or omission complained of is one for which the governmental entity may be liable." Miss.Code Ann. § 11-46-7(2) (Rev.2002). But an employee cannot be personally liable for any acts or omission that occurred within the course and scope of his or her duties. Miss.Code Ann. § 11-46-7(2).
¶ 10. Public hospitals are covered by the MTCA. Miss.Code Ann. § 11-46-1(j) (Rev.2002). A party claiming injury under the MTCA against a governmental entity, such as a public hospital, must file a notice of claim with the chief executive officer of the governmental entity ninety days prior to maintaining an action. Miss.Code Ann. § 11-46-11(1) (Rev.2002). The MTCA also provides a one-year statute of limitations on all actions brought under its provisions which is tolled by a timely-filed notice of claim. Miss.Code Ann. § 11-46-11(3) (Rev.2002).
¶ 11. It is undisputed that Greenwood Leflore Hospital is a public hospital
¶ 12. We agree that there was no genuine issue of material fact that Dr. Gorton was an employee of Greenwood Leflore Hospital on August 7-8, 2007, the dates relevant to this appeal.
¶ 13. In her affidavit, Buchanan stated that Greenwood Leflore Hospital is a community hospital owned by the City of Greenwood and Leflore County. Buchanan stated that Dr. Gorton was an employee of Greenwood Leflore Hospital during the time of the events set forth in Rance's complaint. Buchanan related that, while in medical school, Dr. Gorton had entered into an employment contract with Greenwood Leflore Hospital dated September 29, 1999, and, pursuant to that contract, Greenwood Leflore Hospital continuously had employed Dr. Gorton from September 1, 2004, through October 31, 2007. Buchanan stated that, according to the conditions of Dr. Gorton's employment with Greenwood Leflore Hospital, he practiced in the Gorton Clinic and saw patients at HCMH.
¶ 14. In Dr. Gorton's affidavit, he stated that he had been employed continuously by Greenwood Leflore Hospital from September 29, 1999, to October 31, 2007.
¶ 15. The employment agreement between Greenwood Leflore Hospital and Dr. Gorton provided that it was for a five-year term from the date Dr. Gorton commenced his practice of medicine under the conditions specified. The contract provided that Dr. Gorton's responsibilities as a full-time employee of Greenwood Leflore Hospital required him to serve as the physician for the Gorton Clinic and to become a member of HCMH's active staff to provide oversight and care of the clinic's and HCMH's patients. Later, Greenwood Leflore Hospital and Dr. Gorton executed an amendment to the employment agreement. This document established that Dr. Gorton's employment dates were September 1, 2004, through August 31, 2009.
¶ 16. On April 16, 2007, Greenwood Leflore Hospital and Dr. Gorton executed a mutual termination of the employment agreement. The termination agreement set the date of termination as August 1, 2007. However, the parties also executed an amendment to the termination of employment agreement dated "August ____ 2007," that extended Dr. Gorton's date of termination to November 1, 2007. Dr. Gorton and a representative of Greenwood Leflore Hospital signed this amendment. A copy of a report of termination for Dr. Gorton noted the following dates: (1) a hire date of August 31, 2004, (2) a last date worked of October 31, 2007, and (3) a date of termination of October 31, 2007. The report also stated that the details of termination were "change ownership."
¶ 17. Rance offered no evidence to refute Dr. Gorton's assertion that, on the relevant dates of August 7-8, 2007, he was an employee of Greenwood Leflore Hospital and subject to the protections of the MTCA. Before the trial court, Rance took issue with the fact that the extension of the termination agreement did not specify the date in August 2007 that it was executed, and with the execution date of the amendment to the employment agreement. She claimed that, while Greenwood Leflore Hospital's representative signed the amendment to the employment agreement on August 26, 2005, Dr. Gorton's signature was dated August 24, 2009, a future date that had not occurred. In response to this allegation, Dr. Gorton stated in his affidavit that the date on the amendment "reads `August 24, 2005,' not August 24, 2009."
¶ 18. We find that the documents submitted by Dr. Gorton established that he was employed by Greenwood Leflore Hospital on the relevant dates of August 7-8, 2007. Rance provided no specific facts that demonstrate a genuine issue of material fact that merits trial. Instead, Rance provided mere unsubstantiated allegations. See Green, 954 So.2d at 1038. Therefore, the evidence before the trial court failed to create a genuine issue of material fact as to Dr. Gorton's status as an employee of Greenwood Leflore Hospital, a government entity covered by the MTCA. We observe that Rance had a legal duty to conduct a due-diligence inquiry into the true employment status of potential defendants. Ray v. Keith, 859 So.2d 995, 999 (Miss.2003).
¶ 19. Having determined no genuine issue of material fact exists as to the applicability of the MTCA, we turn to Dr. Gorton's argument that Rance failed to provide pre-suit notice to Greenwood Leflore Hospital's chief operating officer pursuant to the MTCA. See Miss.Code Ann. § 11-46-11(3) (Rev.2002).
Miss.Code Ann. § 11-46-11(1) (Rev.2002) (emphasis added).
¶ 21. This Court strictly applies the ninety-day-notice requirement of Section 11-46-11(1). Univ. of Miss. Med. Ctr. v. Easterling, 928 So.2d 815, 820 (Miss. 2006). "[T]he ninety-day notice requirement under section 11-46-11(1) is a `hard-edged, mandatory rule which the Court strictly enforces.'" Id. (quoting Ivy v. GMAC, 612 So.2d 1108, 1116 (Miss.1992)). See also Price v. Clark, 21 So.3d 509, 518-19 (Miss.2009) ("Strict compliance with statutory notice is required, regardless of why the plaintiff failed to provide notice.") (quoting Easterling, 928 So.2d at 819-20); Brown v. Sw. Miss. Reg'l Med. Ctr., 989 So.2d 933, 936 (Miss.Ct.App.2008) (stating that "Easterling's strict compliance standard is meant to apply equally to cases in which no notice is filed, notice is filed after the complaint, or the complaint is filed sooner than ninety days after filing notice").
¶ 22. Rance provided pre-suit notice to HCMH. When Rance filed the suit, she separately served HMCH, Dr. Thomas, and Dr. Gorton. But because Dr. Gorton was employed by Greenwood Leflore Hospital, a covered entity, he was personally immune from suit, and could have been joined in a suit against his employer in a representative capacity only. Miss.Code Ann. § 11-46-7(2) (Rev.2002). Because Rance did not serve notice on the chief executive officer of Greenwood Leflore Hospital ninety days prior to filing suit, Rance failed to follow the pre-suit notice requirements of the MTCA.
¶ 23. Rance attempts to circumvent this outcome by arguing that her notice to HCMH was constructive notice to Greenwood Leflore Hospital. Rance argues that Greenwood Leflore Hospital's employees worked at HCMH pursuant to a contractual relationship between the two hospitals. Rance contends that, given the hospitals' contractual relationship and the fact that she could not have known of Dr. Gorton's actual employment status, her notice to the chief executive officer of HCMH should have been adequate notice to Greenwood Leflore Hospital. The record shows no evidence of a contract between the two hospitals. Although Rance's contention that there was a contract between the hospitals is unsupported by the record, obviating the need for analysis of her argument, we find it appropriate to note that
¶ 24. Dr. Gorton also avers that the statute of limitations had expired before Rance filed the complaint. The MTCA prescribes a one-year statute of limitation. Miss.Code Ann. § 11-46-11(3) (Rev.2002). Specifically, the statute provides:
Miss.Code Ann. § 11-46-11(3).
¶ 25. According to the allegations of the complaint, the tortious, wrongful, or otherwise actionable conduct that caused Jordan's death occurred on August 7-8, 2007. Rance filed suit on November 5, 2008, more than one year later. Although the statute provides for tolling during the notice period, because Rance provided no notice to Dr. Gorton's employer, Greenwood Leflore Hospital, the tolling provision is inapplicable in this case. Therefore, Rance's claim was barred by the applicable statute of limitations under the MTCA.
¶ 26. Rance argues that Dr. Gorton was the borrowed servant of HCMH, and thus her notice to HCMH was sufficient. The borrowed-servant doctrine is a common-law rule "that a servant, in general employment of one person, who is temporarily loaned to another person to do the latter's work, becomes, for the time being, the servant of the borrower, although he remains in the general employment of the lender." Jones v. James Reeves Contractors, Inc., 701 So.2d 774, 778 (Miss. 1997) (quoting Quick Change Oil and Lube v. Rogers, 663 So.2d 585, 589 (Miss.1995)). Where the rule applies, "[t]he borrower then becomes the employer to the exclusion of the lender." Id. This Court has identified three criteria for determining whether one is a borrowed servant: "(1) whose work is being performed, (2) who controls or has the right to control the workman as to the work being performed, and (3) has the workman voluntarily accepted the special employment." Id. at 778-79.
¶ 27. Rance argues that Dr. Gorton was the borrowed servant of HCMH because, at the time of the alleged negligence, he was working at HCMH pursuant to his employment contract with Greenwood Leflore
¶ 28. This Court never has considered the borrowed-servant doctrine in the context of an MTCA claim. Assuming for the sake of argument that the borrowed-servant doctrine could be applied to an MTCA claim, it is plainly inapplicable to the facts presented by this case. The only evidence of the relationship between Dr. Gorton and HCMH was Dr. Gorton's employment contract with Greenwood Leflore Hospital, requiring him to be on the active medical staff of HCMH. No evidence of any contract between Dr. Gorton and HCMH or between HCMH and Greenwood Leflore Hospital affecting Dr. Gorton's employment is in the record. "Generally, staff privileges permit a doctor to use hospital facilities to practice his medical profession." State By and Through Miss. Ethics Comm'n v. Aseme, 583 So.2d 955, 958 (Miss.1991) (quoting Engelstad v. Virginia Mun. Hosp., 718 F.2d 262, 267 (8th Cir.1983)). This Court has held that a physician's appointment to the medical staff of a hospital and the grant of clinical privileges do not equate to an employment contract between the physician and the hospital. Sullivan v. Baptist Mem'l Hosp.-Golden Triangle, Inc., 722 So.2d 675 (Miss.1998) (citing Aseme, 583 So.2d at 958-60; Trapp v. Cayson, 471 So.2d 375, 384 (Miss.1985)). Notwithstanding the question of whether the borrowed-servant doctrine could apply to an MTCA claim, it is clear that Dr. Gorton's position on the medical staff of HCMH did not implicate the borrowed-servant doctrine. Therefore, summary judgment was warranted as to Dr. Gorton.
¶ 29. We find that there was no genuine issue of material fact that Dr. Gorton was employed by Greenwood Leflore Hospital, a political subdivision of the State of Mississippi covered by the MTCA. Rance did not comply with the pre-suit-notice requirements of the MTCA, and her claim against Dr. Gorton was barred by MTCA's one-year statute of limitations. The borrowed-servant doctrine is inapplicable to Rance's claim against Dr. Gorton. Therefore, we reverse the denial of summary judgment by the Circuit Court of Humphreys County, and we render judgment in favor of Dr. Gorton.
¶ 30.
WALLER, C.J., CARLSON, P.J., DICKINSON, RANDOLPH, LAMAR AND PIERCE, JJ., CONCUR. KITCHENS, J., DISSENTS WITH SEPARATE WRITTEN OPINION JOINED BY GRAVES, P.J.
KITCHENS, Justice, dissenting:
¶ 31. The majority has concluded that the borrowed servant doctrine is inapplicable to the facts of this case. I respectfully disagree and dissent.
¶ 32. In Denton v. Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railroad Company, 284 U.S. 305, 308, 52 S.Ct. 141, 76 L.Ed. 310 (1932), the Supreme Court of the United States said that whether a principal may be held liable for the acts of its servants
Id. at 308, 52 S.Ct. 141. Further, in Quick Change Oil and Lube, Inc. v. Rogers, 663 So.2d 585 (Miss.1995), this Court held that:
Id. at 589 (emphasis in original) (citing Dunn, Mississippi Workers' Compensation Law § 186 (1986)).
¶ 33. This Court has never decided specifically whether the borrowed servant doctrine applies to cases brought under the Mississippi Tort Claims Act; however, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi has considered the application of the doctrine to the Federal Tort Claims Act. See Banks v. United States, 623 F.Supp.2d 751 (S.D.Miss.2009).
¶ 34. In Banks, Yolanda Banks, a patient of the University of Mississippi Medical Center High Risk Obstetrics Clinic, died of a post-operative intra-abdominal abscess as a result of Dr. Andrew T. Allen's alleged negligence. Id. at 752. At the time of treatment, Dr. Allen was a Captain in the United States Air Force, thus an employee of the United States.
¶ 35. Though not controlling here, the federal court's analysis in Banks is on point and persuasive. That court acknowledged that "Mississippi law recognizes the defense of the `borrowed servant' where a person who is under the employment of
¶ 36. In this case, the physician employment agreement between Dr. Gorton and Greenwood Leflore Hospital provided in relevant part, that "throughout the term of employment pursuant to this Agreement, [Dr. Gorton] shall maintain privileges and membership on the active medical staff of the Humphreys County Memorial Hospital and the courtesy medical staff of the Greenwood Leflore Hospital. . . ." Additionally, the agreement required that Dr. Gorton "shall be responsible for providing appropriate care and treatment for patients at Gorton Clinic, Humphreys County Memorial Hospital, and the nursing home on an as-needed basis and when requested by [Greenwood Leflore] Hospital. . . ." Further, Schedule A of the agreement required Dr. Gorton to be responsible for the "oversight and care of clinic and Humphreys County Memorial Hospital patients in accordance with Hospital/medical staff policies and accepted professional standards." Established law and the facts before us lead logically to the conclusion that Dr. Gorton was the borrowed servant of Humphreys County Memorial Hospital (HCMH) at all relevant times. Banks, 623 F.Supp.2d at 753.
¶ 37. Moreover, under controlling Mississippi case law, Dr. Gorton was the borrowed servant of HCMH in accordance with the Quick Change three-part test. See Quick Change, 663 So.2d at 589. At the time of the Jordan child's death, Dr. Gorton was required, pursuant to his employment agreement with GLH, to do the work of HCMH. It can be deduced from the language of Dr. Gorton's employment agreement that HCMH had the right to control Dr. Gorton's work performed at HCMH. Specifically, Dr. Gorton was required to provide care at HCMH "in accordance with Hospital/medical staff policies and accepted professional standards." Such is a reasonable inference that can be drawn from the evidence. Finally, there is no indication in the record that Dr. Gorton did not voluntarily enter into the employment agreement with GLH that required him to be an active member of the HCMH medical staff. Because Dr. Gorton was the borrowed servant of HCMH, Rance gave proper pre-suit notice of her claim against Dr. Gorton pursuant to Mississippi Code Section 11-46-11(1). See Miss.Code Ann. § 11-46-11(1) (Rev.2002).
¶ 38. Recently, in Tillis v. State, 43 So.3d 1127 (Miss.2010), this Court held that a nurse, employed by a contractor that provided medical services to a private correctional facility, was the dual employee of the contractor and the private correctional facility. In that case, Zenas Tillis was indicted for the simple assault of Kathy Hogue, a nurse who worked at Walnut Grove Youth Correctional Facility in accordance
¶ 39. With regard to whether Hogue was an employee of Walnut Grove, the circuit court held that "as far as the interpretation. . . that ostensibly it could be broadly interpreted that Hogue, in this setting, and under these circumstances, would qualify as being a person who would fit the term of employee." Id. On appeal, this Court agreed and held that
Tillis, 43 So.3d at 1132. Moreover, this Court opined in a footnote that "the borrowed servant doctrine [was also] applicable here, because Hogue was working exclusively at Walnut Grove, supplying medical services which Walnut Grove was constitutionally required to provide its inmates." Id.
¶ 40. In this case, Dr. Gorton was clearly the borrowed servant of HCMH and the dual employee of both GLH and HCMH. Dr. Gorton's employment contract was with GLH; however, the employment contract provided, in relevant part, that Dr. Gorton "shall maintain privileges and membership on the active medical staff of the Humphreys County Memorial Hospital and the courtesy medical staff of the Greenwood Leflore Hospital. . . ." Further, Dr. Gorton was "responsible for providing appropriate care and treatment for patients at Gorton Clinic, Humphreys County Memorial Hospital, and the nursing home on an as-needed basis and when requested by [Greenwood Leflore] Hospital. . . ."
¶ 42. Accordingly, I must respectfully disagree with the majority's conclusion that Dr. Gorton was not the borrowed servant of Humphreys County Memorial Hospital. I would affirm the trial court's denial of Dr. Gorton's motion for summary judgment.
GRAVES, P.J., joins this opinion.
Miss.Code Ann. § 47-4-1(4) (Rev.2004).